Man finds WWII grenade while renovating Heswall home

Andy Richardson, of Wallrake Road in Lower Heswall, was “surprised” to find a live hand grenade from the Second World War on Wednesday, March 13.

The 65-year-old retiree was restoring an old fireplace in his extension when he uncovered the device.

He told the Globe: “Our property was a coach house originally before it was converted in the 50s to lived-in accommodation. An extension was added during this time and a big fireplace with a chimney was installed.

“Later down the line, someone put a stone centre into the fireplace which created alcoves with shelves on either side of the original fireplace.

“I was trying to pull the shelves out but it was very difficult, so I began using hammers and crowbars to try and get this shelving out.”

While trying to remove the shelving from behind his fireplace, Andy began discovering random items.

He said: “I found old matches and children’s toy makeup sets and then I thought ‘what’s this on the righthand side?’ and I pulled out what I thought was a toy hand grenade.”

The grenade Andy found behind his fireplace (Image: Andy Richardson)

However, when Andy felt the weight of the grenade and saw it still had a pin in it he soon discovered it was real.

He said: “When I realised I thought ‘Oh dear I best be careful here’ and then I put it on the side and thought ‘What should I do with it?’.”

Andy proceeded to take photographs of the device before moving it into his back garden and surrounding it with bricks.

He then told his wife, Debbie, when she arrived home about his discovery.

Andy Richardson and his wife Debbie (Image: Andy Richardson)

He said: “We decided we didn’t want to get turfed out of our home that night, so we’d waited until the next day to report it.”

At around 9am on Thursday, March 14, Debbie contacted Merseyside Police.

Andy said: “Around eight police officers arrived and by around 9.45am they had cordoned off the entire road.

“They told our neighbours to stay to the far side of their house, although the houses are quite a far away, because any debris could potentially explode 100m from the grenade.”

Andy said he thought the grenade was a toy when he first saw it (Image: Andy Richardson)

Shortly after closing off the street, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit arrived.

Andy said: “A couple of guys from the bomb squad turned up from the army and said they would take it down to Hoylake Beach to detonate.

“Initially I asked if I could keep it if they disarmed it but they said I couldn’t which I expected so I went down to the beach and watched.”

The EOD confirmed the grenade was live before detonating the explosive on Hoylake beach.

The grenade being detonated on Hoylake Beach (Image: Andy Richardson)

Andy said: “There was a small explosion which was the grenade detonating and then a bigger one which destroyed it and blew a hole in the sand.”

At the time, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police told the Globe: "We can confirm a hand grenade was safely detonated in Wirral today (Thursday, March 14). 

READ: Suspected hand grenade detonated on Hoylake beach

"We were contacted at 8.40am following reports the grenade had been found in a property under renovation in the Gayton area.

"The EOD carried out a controlled explosion on the beach near Hoylake."

Speaking of the ordeal, Andy added: “It’s something you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It’s Something to talk about with your friends and colleagues.

“People keep saying to me ‘Oh I hope you don’t find any more’ but the fireplace is all solid now because I’ve taken everything out so there’s nothing else I don’t think!”